Flare casing and method of sealing



Y EL W? n. L. muses. JR

FLARE CASING AND METHOD OF SEALING Filed March 28, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Jrvwalo'u Louis I. DRIGGS,I:-.

May 2% 19%. L. L. DRIGGS, .JR fi fi FLARE CASING AND METHOD OF SEALINGFiled March 28, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .22 F'J G0 3 26 2A {in 2 21 I fit60%: 2

Patented May 2 1, 1940 STATES PAENT Application March 28,

"9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in flare casings, and has for itsobject to provide an improved means for sealing the casing.

It is particularly the object of this invention to provide, inconnection with a flare casing adapted to be used in connection withairplanes for signalling purposes, a closure for the casing that will beeasily stripped.

It is an object of the invention to provide, in connection with a flarecasing, a closure for the casing that is held thereon by a resilientgasket which forms an air-tight seal.

It is also an object to provide, in connection with a closure for aflare casing, means to securely and resiliently seal the connectionbetween the flare casing and the closure and at the same time permit aready removal of the closure from the casing.

It is also an object of the invention to provide suitable means forsupporting such a casing.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section through a flare casing andthe parts inclosed therein.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section of the lower end of the flare casing,showing the closure therefor and the means by which the closure isattached to the casing.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through a modified form offlare, in which the container is supported with the open end downward.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the lower end of the containershown in Figure 3.

In the forms shown in Figures 1 and 2 the container I has an open upperend, around which there is a peripheral bead 2, somewhat remote from theend with a peripheral depression 3 between the bead and the upper end ofthe container. The upper end of the container is closed by means of acup-shaped closure 4, which has a peripheral skirt 5 provided with anoutwardly spun part 6 and an inwardly spun part 1 adapted to fit over arubber ring 8 which rests in the depression 3 of the container and inthe depression formed by the spun parts 6 and 1 of the skirt 5.

In order to support the container there is provided an annular bracket9, which has a central opening therein, around which there is adownwardly extending cylindrical part [0 and a restricted part IIconnected to the cylindrical part II] by means of a shoulder 12. Thepart II is adapted to fit closely around the container, while thecylindrical part I0 provides ample 1934, Serial No. 717,803

space for the apron parts of the closure, and a rubber ring 13 whichrests upon the shoulder for engagement with the bead, whereby thecontainer is resiliently supported and is suspended from the bracket 9.

Within the container is a cartridge case or flare or pyrotechnic candleI4. Near the lower end of the container are two metal discs I5 spaced bymeans of a thick felt disc 16. These discs are immediately below thecartridge case or candle. The lower end of the container is reduced andforms a small space for containing a cup I! in which a suitableexplosive is provided for ejecting the cartridge case or candle. Thisexplosive on igniting will eject the cartridge case or candle and at thesame time ignite a fuse located in a fuse tube l8. A suitable means isprovided for igniting the explosive contained in the cup I'I.

The flare used in connection with this container is a minute-and-a-halfflare. In the form shown in Figures 3 and 4 the flare is athree-and-a-half minute flare.

The numeral 19 is used to designate a cylindrical shaped metal containeradapted to have attached to its upper end a supporting bracketconsisting of side plates 20 and a top plate 2|, reenforced by means offlanges 22. In the top plate is an aperture 23, adapted to receive aconical crown piece 24, which forms the upper end of the container.Around this crown piece and between the upper end of the container andthe top plate 2| is a rubber ring 25 adapted to deaden the shock whenthe flare is discharged.

The upper end of the crown piece is cylindrical at the point 26, and hasthreaded therein a cylindrical firing plug 21. In the upper end of themetal container, below the crown piece, is a gas check disc 28immediately beneath which is a projectile casing 29, which has in theupper end thereof a wooden block 30. Extending through the disc 28 andthe upper end of the projectile casing is a fuse 3|, the lower end ofwhich is inclosed in a cup 32. Beneath the wooden block is a layer ofpowder 33 which has beneath it, filling. the remainder of the projectilecasing, flare material 34.

The fuse material is contained within a pasteboard carton 35, the upperend of which fits within the projectile casing and around the woodenblock and the powder. The lower end of the carton is closed, and hasattached thereto a yoke 36, to which one end of a cable 31 is attached,while its other end is attached to a parachute 38 separated from thecarton by means of a partition 39. This partition is provided with ahole through which the cable ex tends.

The closure for the container shown in Figures 3 and 4 is in allrespects similar to that shown in Figures 1 and 2, and is thereforedesignated by the same reference characters. However, in this form thecontainer is not supported by the annular bracket 9 since its lower endis open. The supporting bracket 9 is used in connection with an openupper ended container.

It will be understood that I desire to comprehend within my inventionsuch modifications as come within the scope of my claims and myinvention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is: V W

1.- In a flare; a container having one end open, a bead formed. on theperiphery of the container adjacent the open end, a cylindrical supportfor the container closely fitting the exterior thereof and having anenlarged part to receive the bead, and a closure for the open end of thecontainer yieldingly mounted on the container within the enlarged partof the support.

-2. In a flare, a cylindrical container having therein a pyrotechniccandle, one end of the container being open and having adjacent said enda bead and a groove, a rubber ring in the groove, a cup-shaped closurefor said open end engaging said ring to form a resilient seal, and asupport for the container engaging the container at the bead and havingan enlarged part fitting over the bead, the ring and parts of theclosure.

3. In a flare, a cylindrical container having therein a pyrotechniccandle, one end of the container being open and having adjacent said enda bead and a groove, a rubber ring in the groove, a cup-shaped closurefor said open end engaging said ring to form a resilient seal, and asupport fitting around the container adjacent the bead and having anenlarged part fitting over the bead, the ring and parts of the closure.

4. In a flare, a cylindrical container having in one end a flarematerial and means to eject and ignite the flare material and in itsother end a parachute to support the ejected flare material, theparachute end of the container being open and having adjacent said end abead and a groove, a rubber ring in the groove, a cup-shaped closure forsaid open end engaging said ring to form a resilient seal, and a supportfitting around the container adjacent the bead and having an enlargedpart fitting over the bead, the ring and partsof the closure.

5. In a flare,'a flare casing, and a flare cap releasably and yieldinglymounted on one end 01 the casing, the attachment or said cap beingstrong enough to hold the weight or a flare within the casing and strongenough to resist atmospheric changes due to changes in altitude, butweak enough upon the application of the internal ejecting forces toeject the flare against the cap to partially deform the cap in-theprocess of ejection from the end of the casing.

6. In a flare, a casing, and a removable cap, the walls of which aremounted adjacent the walls of the casing at one end thereof in such amanner as to form a hermetical seal between said cap and said casing,the attachment of said cap being strong enough to support the weight ofa flare within the casing and to resist changes in atmospheric pressurewithout disruption of the hermetical seal due to changes in elevation ofthe casing and cap with the flare, but weak enough upon the applicationof the ejecting force upon the flare to be partially deformed in thecourse of being removed from the end of the casing containing the flare.

7. In combination, in a flare, of a flare casing, an interengagingremovable cap hermetically sealed thereto adapted to support the weightof a flare within said casing, a hermetical sealing joint formed by thecap and flare casing being strong enough to support the weight of theflare and resist atmospheric changes in pressure but weak enough for thecap to be stripped from the casing upon the application of the ejectingforce to the flare.

8. In combination, a flare casing, a cap, and yielding means seatedwithin said cap and adjacent the end of said flare casing, theattachment of said cap being of suflicient strength to support theweight of a flare and maintain a hermetical seal while the flare isinoperative and of insuflicient strength to resist-being stripped fromthe casing upon the application of the ejecting force in the dischargeof the flare.

9. In combination, a flare casing, a cap, and yielding means seatedwithin said cap and adjacent the end of said flare casing, theattachment of said cap to the flare casing being of sufflcient strengthto support the weight of a flare and maintain a hermetical seal whilethe flare is inoperative and of insuflicient strength to resist beingstripped from the casing upon the application of the ejecting force inthe discharge of the flare, and said cap being partially deformed duringthe ejecting operation.

LOUIS L. BRIGGS, JR.

